China launches world's first quantum satellite

Beijing

CHINA launched the world's first quantum satellite on Tuesday, state media reported, in an effort to harness the power of particle physics to build an "unhackable" system of encrypted communications.

The launch took place at 1.40am in the south-western Gobi Desert, the official Xinhua news service said, and comes as the US, Japan and others also seek to develop applications for the burgeoning technology.

Beijing has poured enormous resources into the race, one of several cutting-edge projects that the world's second largest economy has pursued as part of its massive national investment in…